|
News Items:
|
|
Headlines
|
|
News Briefs
|
|
Stories
|
|
Movies
|
|
Word To Life
|
|
Special Items:
|
|
Vatican
|
|
Election 2004
|
|
Africa
|
|
Charter update
|
|
John Jay study
|
|
Other Items:
|
|
Client Area
|
|
Links
|
|
Archives:
|
|
Origins
|
|
.
|
|
Did You Know...
|
The whole CNS
public Web site
headlines, briefs
stories, etc,
represents less
than one percent
of the daily news
report.
Get all the news!
If you would like
more information
about the
Catholic News
Service daily
news report,
please contact
CNS at one of
the following:
cns@
catholicnews.com
or
(202) 541-3250
|
|
.
|
|
Copyright:
|
This material
may not
be published,
broadcast,
rewritten or
otherwise
distributed.
Copyright
(c) 2004
Catholic News
Service/U.S.
Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
|
|
 |
|
CNS Story:
|
VATICAN-IAEA Sep-29-2004 (370 words) xxxi
Weapons-free Middle East will foster peace, Vatican official says
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction will help foster peace and stability in the region, a Vatican representative told members of a U.N. nuclear watchdog agency.
"This, together with limitations on conventional armaments and appropriate security and confidence-building measures, can contribute to establishing peace in the region," said Msgr. Leo Boccardi, the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations in Vienna, Austria.
His comments came in a Sept. 22 address before participants attending the International Atomic Energy Agency's Sept. 20-24 general conference in Vienna. L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's daily newspaper, published the text of Msgr. Boccardi's speech Sept. 27.
In his address, he said the Holy See delegation he heads was greatly concerned about "the growing signs of rising insecurity" in the Middle East due to the war in Iraq and "the unresolved conflict in the Holy Land."
Finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will involve "respect for the legitimate aspirations of both sides, a return to the negotiating table and the concrete engagement of the international community," he said.
As part of the strategy to build peace and security in the region, "it is desirable that all countries of the region and the international community initiate a serious dialogue for creating a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction," Msgr. Boccardi said.
Though the Israeli government does not admit to possessing nuclear weapons, Israel is suspected of having nuclear weapons capability. It is not a member of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and its Dimona nuclear reactor is not subject to international inspections or safeguards.
Iraq and Iran have sought nuclear capability as a way to deter an attack by Israel.
Msgr. Boccardi said in his address that because there is the risk that terrorists can gain access to nuclear materials and technology, "we need to agree on certain measures to ensure that nuclear 'business as usual' cannot continue."
He praised the precedents the nonproliferation treaty has set, but urged that more authority be given to weapons inspectors and that countries have "better control over the export of nuclear material."
END
Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250
|
|
|
|
